Category Archives: Uncategorized

Debra Komar presentation, June 24

871-9_KOMAR_OTTAWA_EVITEDEBRA KOMAR AT OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY:
Debra Komar will launch her new book MURDER AT FORT STIKINE: SOLVING A CENTURIES-OLD CRIME IN THE HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY on June 24, 2015, at 7 pm.  It takes place at the Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe St, in the auditorium.

Debra Komar has worked as a forensic anthropologist in the US, UK, and Canada for over twenty years.  She has investigated human-rights violations resulting in violent deaths for the United Nations and Physicians for Human Rights, testified as an expert witness in The Hague, and acaross North America, and authored the authoritative FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY: CONTEMPORARY THEORY AND PRACTICE for Oxford University Press.

She is also the author of THE LYNCHING OF PETER WHEELER and THE BALLAD OF JACOB PECK

“Solitude Creek” with Jeffrey Deaver

Tuesday, May 19, 7:00 PM, Christchurch Cathedral, 414 Sparks St, Ottawa: Jeffery Deaver presents “Solitude Creek”

Jeffery Deaver, “the master of manipulation” (Associated Press) and “the most creative, skilled and intriguing thriller writer in the world.” (Daily Telegraph, UK) makes his Ottawa Festival debut with Solitude Creek, the new, long-awaited, Kathryn Dance thriller.

http://www.writersfestival.org/events/spring-2015/solitude-creek-with-jeffrey-deaver

2015 CAPITAL CRIME WRITERS SHORT STORY CONTEST SHORTLIST

The SHORTLIST for the 2015 CCW Short Story Contest was announced on April 23, 2015:

THE CARETAKER by Wynn Quon
SNOW DAY by Gladys Galay
REVENGE BY ANY OTHER NAME… by Jennifer Jorgensen
THE UNSOLVABLE CASE OF SOMEBODY’S  FINGER by Tavis Maplesden
URBAN RENEWAL by Ken Nyhuus

The winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at the CCW Pub Night.  The event is at the Heart & Crown, 67 Clarence Street in the Byward Market.  The event begins at 6:00 pm.  Nominees are asked to be prepared to read from their short story entry.

2015 CRIME WRITERS OF CANADA ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

Several CCW members found that they were nominated for Arthur Ellis Awards on April 23.

BEST NOVEL:
Brenda Chapman for COLD MOURNING, Dundurn Press.
Barbara Fradkin for NONE SO BLIND,  Dundurn Press.

BEST NOVELLA:
Vicki Delany for  JUBA GOOD,  Orca Book Publishers

BEST SHORT STORY:
Madonna Skaff for FIRST IMPRESSIONS, in THE WHOLE SHE-BANG 2, Sisters in Crime

The complete list of moninees may be found at www.crimewriterscanada.com

Barbeques Are Murder! (dinner theatre)

A Murder Mystery Dinner Play 

By Maggie Taylor

BBQs are MURDER POSTER

 Britannia United Church, 985 Pinecrest Road

Friday, May 1st and Saturday May 2nd, 2015

ONLY 100 TICKETS FOR EACH NIGHT $30.00 per person

The Play and Meal start at 6:00 p.m.

 Featuring: Rev. Jim Baldwin, Rev. Debbie Roi, Dori Jensen, Scott Hughes,

Jennifer Trewartha, Chuck Trewartha, Elaine McClausland, Myles Frosst

 Menu: Apple or Tomato Juice, Caesar or Garden Salad, Pork Loin or Chicken Breast (both in gluten free gravy), Potatoes, Vegetables, Dessert, Tea and Coffee

The tables are made up of groups of eight or nine people, so get a party together and purchase your tickets early.

 You can obtain your tickets from:       Church Office (613-828-6018)

                                                                        Email: brituc.office@magma.ca

                                                                        Verne or Marilyn Bruce (613-828-0704)

                                                                        Email: verne.bruce@sympatico.ca  or

                                                                        Visit our website: www.britanniaunitedchurch.ca

                                                                        The cut-off date is April 27,2015

 Additional Performance: Parkdale United Church on April 26, 2015

429 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa  (613-728-8656)

A Criminally Exciting Evening!

 You’re invited to a criminally exciting evening on Thurs. April 23, 7-9 p.m. at Chapters Rideau, starting with Interrogating the Authors — top crime writers Brenda Chapman, Barbara Fradkin, Eva Gates/Vicki Delany, R.J. Robin Harlick,  MaryJane MaffiniVictoria Abbott, and Mike Martin put each other on the hot seat. MC is Erika Chase/Linda Sundman Wiken. Followed by the big reveal of the Crime Writers of Crime Writers Canada Arthur Ellis shortlist, and the Capital Crime Writers’ Audrey Award shortlist.

Canada’s Security and Intelligence Community: Responding to Terrorist Threats

Topic: Canada’s Security and Intelligence Community: Responding to Terrorist Threats
Speaker: Dr. Martin Rudner

When: Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 7:00 pm
Location: Honeywell Room, Ottawa City Hall

Learn about Canada's Security and Intelligence Community and threat response on May 13, 2015 at city hall.
Learn about terrorist threats facing Canada at the next CCW meeting (May 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. at city hall.

The focus of this month’s presentation is the contemporary terrorist threat environment facing Canada, including religious extremism, violent secessionist movements, state-sponsored terrorism and domestic extremism. Dr. Martin Rudner, professor emeritus at Carleton University will examine Canada’s national security strategy, outlining the statutory framework, the architecture of the Security and Intelligence system, policy mechanisms, and operational activities. These will cover intelligence collection, analysis, policy coordination, law enforcement, threat disruption, and international liaison. Attention will be paid to accountability and oversight mechanisms. The talk will conclude with a review of lessons that need to be learned.

Martin Rudner is Professor Emeritus and a distinguished professor at Carleton University in Ottawa. Before his retirement from Carleton in 2007, he was a professor in the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and a founding director of the Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Affairs. His article “Intelligence-Led Air Transport Security: Pre-Screening for Watch-Lists, No-Fly Lists to Forestall Terrorists Threats” was recently published in the International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence. Dr. Rudner is the author of over one hundred books and scholarly articles. He is also an associate editor of Frontline Security. While supposedly retired, he attends and organizes conferences and seminars and is frequently consulted for his ideas and opinions on security and intelligence issues. Dr. Rudner has also served as an expert witness at the behest of the Crown in national security cases before the Federal Court.

CCW MONTHLY MEETING, March 11, 2015

CCW MONTHLY MEETING

March 11, 2015, Honeywell Room,  (2nd floor) Ottawa City Hall, 7 pm

Jon Willing & Tony Spears, both of the OTTAWA SUN.
TOPIC:  Police beat & Court Reporting

Jon will speak about police reporting & Tony will speak about court reporting

Jon Willing spoke briefly at ‘Capital Mayhem’ (organized by CCW & OPL) last year.  That limited his time  to provide  insights into courtroom procedures and action.  He is currently  the City Hall reporter for the OTTAWA SUN, but before that was their police beat reporter.  Jon did his undergraduate work at the University of Waterloo then obtained his Masters in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario in 2003.  Before coming to Ottawa in 2006, he worked at the WOODSTOCK SENTINEL-REVIEW and the GUELPH MERCURY.

Tony Spears is the OTTAWA SUN  courts reporter, providing vivid sketches of fraudsters and murders to the delight of a tabloid readership.  He’s covered three federal budgets, which caused him to consider taking up murder himself.  He has also worked as a general assignment  reporter for the OTTAWA SUN & OTTAWA CITIZEN

February 11th, 2014 WORKSHOP

GOAL! MOTIVATION AND CONFLICT: THE FOUNDATION OF COMMERCIAL FICTION

Next meeting, February 11th, 2014, Ottawa City Hall, Honeywell Room.

Madeline McBride will present this workshop.  Writers , are your characters’ goals and conflict strong enough to carry the story?  This interactive craft workshop will help you describe what your characters want, the stakes, and what’s stopping them from reaching their goals.
In an exercise using a simple template, you’ll identify your hero/heroine’s internal and external goals, motivations, consequences/stakes and conflict (GMCC).  Those willing to share will have the opportunity to  get feedback on their work-in-progress GMCC’s.  The resulting comprehensive  GMCC  sentences, one for each character can be key elements of pitches
This workshop is based on Debra Dixon’s GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict, arguably an essential craft resource for writers of commercial fiction genres such as mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, romance etc.
Madeline McBride (Presenter) is currently President of Ottawa Romance Writers Association, writes as Madelle Morgan.  She’s completed six books, although three were for practice as she honed her craft!  She won or placed  in several writing contests.